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        • Pipe Springs National Monument
        • Prescott
        • Quartzsite
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Tag: RV

09 May 2023

The more places I go the behinder I get

Great Horned Owl bird in nest Buenos Aires NWR Sasabe AZBeen moving around quite a bit and the more places I go the behinder I get writing the blog,  Then add videos…

Sierra cat outside Indian Bread Rocks RA Bowie AZSierra became a YouTube star outside on her leash  https://youtube.com/shorts/JO-sn37ikgg and we broke over to 300 subscribers.  Have you subscribed?  Please do.

dock boat lake sunset clouds Mittry Lake Yuma AZThe drive to Mittry Lake in search of a boondock campsite. https://youtu.be/6nI7ERF2l9c

360° view Mittry Lake camp https://youtube.com/shorts/rpb-04hglwE

Boondocking at Mittry Lake  https://youtu.be/vgfv1oIQQP0

grass Mesquite Rd279 Buenos Aires NWR Sasabe AZI last wrote about Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge and left you hanging in mid-April…

red flowering Pomegranite church Tumacácori NHS Tubac AZ…on my way to Tumacácori National Historical Site.

Cynthia Copper Queen Mine tour bldg Bisbee AZFrom there I visited a friend in Bisbee for several days and we talked for hours, took a mine tour, and ate out a lot.  Had a great time!

hoodoos Massai trl Chiricahua NM AZBecause temperatures are holding below 90° I continued east to Chiricahua National Monument and saw hoodoos.  Who knew?

boulders Indian Bread Rocks Rec Area BLM Bowie AZFollowed by more awesome granitic boulders reminiscent of Joshua Tree National Park, without those trees but lots of green, boondocking at BLM Indian Bread Rocks Recreation Area south of Bowie.

I will post about each of these adventures separately, and made videos.  But in the meantime, this is what you get for this week.

Don’t know where I’m going next, but the more places I go the behinder I get.

I’m a happy camper.

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Arizona, Places I've been, RV life, United States boondocking, RV, travel 16 Comments
13 July 2022

Pack and go to Grand Canyon

Vishnu Temple & Wotons Throne canyon clouds Lipan Point South Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaFinally, I get to travel, so I packed the camper and left to go to Grand Canyon.  Boondocked on the Kaibab National Forest near Grandview Lookout Tower and explored the eastern end of the South Rim.  It’s a Grand adventure because I’m not all that familiar with this side of the big ditch.

grass bush Brushy Mt clouds Skull Valley ArizonaI may not travel on holidays like 4th of July, but that doesn’t stop me from making a plan to go to Grand Canyon this month.  And I like to pack slowly so started off with filling water bottles and loading them into the truck.  Eight gallons will ride on the passenger seat floor and five more inside the camper.  That’s over a week’s worth of water and I can refill in the park.

hat pins on curtain in camperAnother project was to move my hatpin collection from one curtain to another…

new curtains…because, I made a new curtain for the camper.  Bought a Pier One lap-blanket at a thrift store that is just the right green (unlike the photo) and size when cut in half.  I don’t sew but a glue gun worked just fine to hold a casing and hem.  Three “C” hooks reinforce the tension rod.  I’m happy with how it turned out.  Nice and heavy to keep out the winter cold and bright morning light.  I know, it’s summer.  But the job had to be done.

Sierra cat Skull Valley ArizonaIn order to go to the Grand Canyon I needed to create and schedule blog posts and videos.  So I spent more than a day at the computer with my assistant staying close by.  She seems to know we’re going to travel.  I packed a few more things but really had to wait until morning for most of the food stuff.

metal sculptures Valle ArizonaSeen in Valle

Finished packing and hit the road Thursday morning about nine.  Shopping and diesel fuel at $5.53/gallon on the way.  I really wasn’t rushing as I didn’t want to arrive at the park entrance during the busiest time mid-day.

arch Gateway to Grand Canyon Williams Arizona

RT66 store Williams ArizonaDrove through historic Williams then headed north on SR64.  Took video almost the whole way and will create a Rambling Road Trip for my YouTube channel.

Red Butte SR64 North ArizonaRed Butte

Pulled up to the park entrance at 4pm and after three rigs in front of me I was ready to go to Grand Canyon, but not the main Village area.  Instead I headed east towards Desert View Watchtower.

canyon Duck on a Rock overlook South Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaMy first stop to actually see the canyon, Duck on a rock, is just wide parking along the north side of the road.

canyon Grandview Point South Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaI also stopped at Grandview Point but didn’t stay long as I wanted to find a boondock camp for the night.

About one mile out of the park on a rather rutted gravel road I entered the Kaibab National Forest, parked at the first obvious camp, and made a 360° video.  I knew this wasn’t going to be a private site so wasn’t surprised when a motorhome arrived and parked nearby.  Sadly, this German family had three tiny yet noisy children.  Thankfully, they pulled out in the morning.

pink Pincushion cactus flowers bee Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAfter a late breakfast, I walked the road about 3/4 mile to Grandview Lookout Tower.  Along the way I saw several other nice campsites and thought I would choose one another day.  Bright pink cactus flowers beckoned me into the forest and a cell tower was a total surprise.  No wonder I had a decent signal in camp.

Grandview lookout tower Kaibab National Forest Arizona

looking up tower Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAs I approached the parking below the fire tower, four side-by-sides on tour roared up.  Some of the group climbed and others did not.  They didn’t stay long and I had the place to myself.

up stairs Grandview Lookout Tower Kaibab National Forest ArizonaSo I climbed, the first set of stairs.  Even though I am not afraid of heights it’s a little disconcerting to look down through a gridded step.  I tried mostly to look straight ahead.

looking down thru Grandview lookout tower Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI stopped at the first landing, fascinated by the lines and patterns of the structure.  Then I climbed the second set of stairs.

looking up Grandview lookout tower Kaibab National Forest ArizonaBuilt by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936, the steel Grandview tower is 80 feet tall with a 7×7 foot cab on top that wasn’t currently staffed so I couldn’t get inside.  Yet I decided to climb the third set of steps to get a view above the trees.

view North from tower Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThe two-room cabin accommodates the fire lookout person.

canyon view N from tower Kaibab National Forest Arizona

canyon view North from tower Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI could barely see the Walhalla Plateau on the North Rim to the left and that’s Echo Cliff between the trees on the right.  At 40 feet up I could tell this wasn’t going to be an exemplary place to shoot the upcoming full moon, even with clear skies.  So that was far enough for me.

going down Grandview lookout tower Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI took a bunch of video but had to hold both rails on the way down.  Maybe I’d come back if I moved camp closer for a chance at sunset, if not the moon.

Nuthatch bird Kaibab National Forest ArizonaNuthatch

grass trees Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThe next day after choosing photos to process from the tower, I spent most of the day sitting outside, watching birds, breathing deep the rich smell of a Ponderosa Pine forest, and even a short walk about camp.  A new neighbor came over and we chatted for a while.

trees sunset from camp Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThe evening ended under an orange glow.

A partly cloudy morning called me to get out and go to Grand Canyon.  So I slowly bounced my way out of the National Forest and back to pavement.  I drove east thinking I’d be at the Desert View Watchtower for sunset.  But there were several overlooks to explore along the way.

light & shadow canyon Colorado River Moran Point South Rim Grand Canyon National Park Arizona

light & shadow canyon walls Moran Point South Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaMoran Point, named for famous artist Thomas Moran who joined John Wesley Powell in 1873 on an expedition to go to Grand Canyon.  He later used sketches and photographs to paint the 7×12 foot “Chasm of the Colorado” that hangs in Congress to this day.  Sadly, his depiction is not an actual location but a composite of imagination.

view West canyon river clouds Lipan Point South Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaNext stop Lipan Point offering some of the most expansive views with the longest perspective of the Colorado River.  To the west can be seen the oldest rock, 1.75 billion years, carved by the river within the inner gorge.

Colorado River Unkar Delta shadows Lipan Point South Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaBelow, the “S” curves of the Colorado carve through the rare red tilted layers of the 1255-1100 million years old Supergroup.  The lower left sandbar, called Unkar Delta, is where ancient Puebloan people lived and grew crops between 850 to 1200AD.

view East & Northeast canyon river clouds Lipan Point South Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaLooking upstream the river appears around a bend coming from the north, and the Marble Plateau can be seen with Echo Cliffs on the eastern horizon.

canyon Colorado River clouds Desert View Watchtower South Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaI next stopped at Navajo Point mostly for the exceptional view of the stone built Desert View Watchtower, where I planned to be for sunset.

It was hot that afternoon so I found a shady place to park in the oversized vehicle lot for the tower and after a reconnaissance walk to the rim returned to the camper for a nap followed by dinner.

canyon river sunrays clouds Desert View South Rim Grand Canyon National Park Arizona

sunset rays clouds temples Desert View South Rim Grand Canyon National Park Arizona

canyon sunburst sunset clouds Desert View South Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaSunset was Grand, and lasted for about an hour as I stood in awe watching rays beam down highlighting the temples and topography.

Sadly, the first-come first-serve Desert View campground had been full at noon.  I really didn’t want to drive back into the forest after dark.  So, I opted to stay put and figured if anybody came by to kick me out I’d tell them I wasn’t camping but was hoping the clouds would clear so I could photograph the night sky, and then be there for sunrise.  All good reasons to go to Grand Canyon.

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Arizona, Grand Canyon National Park South Rim, Places I've been, United States boondocking, camping, photography, RV, sunset, travel, video 31 Comments
12 November 2019

Time to coddiwomple southward

Coddiwomple (v.) to travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination.  I typically live like this during winter while making a plan for where to next.

I paid too much rent to stay for another week in Cedar City for three more PT appointments on my slowly improving wrists.  Very nice that daytime highs in the 60s makes a pleasant two block walk to PT.  The time here has been well spent.  Although honestly it doesn’t feel like I’ve done much else besides waste a lot of time online.

I have another doctor visit and PT assessment on my last day in town, the 15th.  Then I’ll coddiwomple southward probably just out of Utah to Black Rock Road on free BLM for the night.  Will be my first stay in this location.  That’s only a little over an hour driving.  Long enough for my first major drive in 2 1/2 months.

Sunset Snowbird Mesa Overton NevadaEven the clouds at sunset were windblown

Then the next day, two hours to Snowbird Mesa, aka Poverty Flats, Nevada.  Last I stayed there in March 2017 the wind almost blew me away.

truck camper Hoover Dam Lodge Casino sunset Boulder City NevadaFrom November 2017

And another hour to Boulder City and free camping by the casino.

Dazzo's Chicago Hot Dogs Wikeup Arizona

truck camper Burro Creek campground Nothing ArizonaAlso November 2017

Followed by a two hour drive to Burro Creek campground with a stop along the way in Wikeup for Chicago style Italian Beef sandwiches, to eat and to go.

And a final hour to Wickenburg.  About 450 miles total.  I used to drive that in a day instead of five.

bent handicap parking poles Bashas Wickenburg ArizonaI have PT set up in Wickenburg starting November 25th, the soonest I could get in.  And that means a week with only at home PT, something I’m not really good at.

desert cactus rocky outcrop Vulture Mine Road Wickenburg ArizonaThere is some desert boondocking not far out of Wickenburg.

houses Weaver Mountains Vulture Mine Road East Wickenburg ArizonaCongress at base of far mountains, Yarnell on top

Another option is a RV Park with the most affordable in Congress, North Ranch, about 10 miles to PT.  Guess I won’t be walking that.

Other than that I don’t have a plan except changing my mailing address as I no longer live in Yarnell.  For now I’m going to pay for a mail service in Wickenburg, Arizona that will give me a physical address and make the few government offices that still use snail-mail happy.  Plus I love receiving postcards from people/travelers.  Yes that’s still a thing.

Sonoran Desert Kofa Mountains clouds Palm Canyon Road Kofa National Wildlife Refuge ArizonaI am desperately hoping after more PT I’ll be closer to normal mobility.  Then I can properly go coddiwomple in the desert for the rest of the winter.

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RV lifestyle boondocking, coddiwomple, moving, RV, travel 29 Comments
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Hi, I’m Gaelyn, the Geogypsy

I retired after 29 summer seasons as a Park Ranger, traveling solo for 40+ years. My passions include travel, connecting to nature, photography, and sharing stories.

I started exploring US National Parks in 1977 and 20 years later became a seasonal Park Ranger.  I’ve lived full-time in a RV for 30 years working summers and playing winters.  I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow old, other than grow up.

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